Game apparatus



June 26, 192 1,674,715

C. P. CAULKINS GAME APPARATUS Filed June 23, 1927 Patented June 26, 1928.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

' CECIL I. dilemma, on NEW LONDON, .CONNECTICUT..

GAME APPARATUS.

Application filed .Tune 23,

features of the game may be maintained.

and the element of skill increased and of chance decreased. I

The game justv described is played on a course somewhat like a golf course one miniature scale, and the projectile shown in the patent was a die having flattened sldes with numerals indicated on said sides and a flip stick constructed to flip this projectile, the flattened sides being numbered and the aggregate points shown on top being counte'l like a game of dice, the score of the game being a composite of the number ofstrokes and the number of points thus indicated.

By having the sides of the projectile flattened as shown in the patent, the projectile would be prevented from rolling more than a limited distance and would not be livelyas is desirable in a golfer tennis ball.

I secure a similar result in preventing the projectile from becoming too lively by using a ball in the form of a spheroid, elliptical along one axis and circular along an axis at right angles to the first aXis, and I omit the numerals, thus eliminating'that element of chance in the game and increasing the skill necessary to win.

To further increase this element of skill, I provide a flip stick having its contacting endof such a shape as to engage the ball with a handle so shaped that it may be firmly held in the proper positioninthe operation of flipping theball.

My invention will be more clearly understood after reference to the accompanying drawings, in which like parts are indicated by similar reference symbols throughout the several views, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective View of a flip stick constructed according to my invention;

Figure 2 shows the lower end of another form of flip stick having a different shaped groove in the end thereof;

Figure 3 shows a flip stick with still another form of groove; 7

In Figures 1 to 3, the ball engaging groove 1927. Serial No. 200,960.

is shown as running longitudinally of the flip stlck.

, Figure 4 shows a. flip stick having a trans 'verse groove near the lower end thereof;

Figure 5 shows a flip stick having two of such transverse grooves; I, Figure 6 shows the elliptical projectile stood up on its longer axis; and

Figure 7 shows a side elevation of the projectile shownin Figure 6.

. In 1' I have shown a flip stick A having a contact face a provided with a groove a", which groove is preferably curved as shown. The sides of the handle of the flip-stick are provided with longitudinal grooves a, butinstead of these grooves, the

corners may be flattened. By either con struction, the flip stick may bejpgrasped firmly in the hand and held against tipping laterally about its longitudinal axis, in operation.

In the form of a flip stick A shown in Fig. 2, the groove a in the contact face is rectangular in shape, with vertical walls a In the form of a flip stick A shown in Fig. 3, the groove a in the contact face of the fli stick is V-shaped in cross-section.

In tie flip stickA shown in Fig. 4, the groove a is shown as transverse of the contact face of the flip stick.

In the flip stick A shown in Fig. 5, there are two of the grooves a transverse of the contact face of the flip stick. Obviously, the number of these grooves may be increased, if desired, and the grooves made smaller or the same may be run diagonally or crossed, if desired.

Y The projectile shown in Figs. 6. and 7 is made either of solid wood or of hollow celluloid or of hollow metal, or rubber or gutta percha,or any other suitable material,

and comprises a body portion B, made up of two zones of spheres b and b, which are not quite hemispheres, and which are joined together at their bases 6 and the junction of the two spherical zones is smoothed off, as shown at 6 This projectile will normally rest with its short axis vertical and with the edge 6 in the horizontal plane, and the flip stick is so shaped that it will require skill to drive the ball in the direction of its longitudinal axis. Thus, this edge 6 may be called the propelling edge of-the ball, and this propelling edge will normally be at the proper'distance above the ground, so as to be in effect teed up from the ground at the proper height, to be engaged by the grooved portion of the flip stick. If the stroke of the flip stick be properly applied, the ball Will tend to move in the proper direction without rolling over end for end, would occur if the ball were struck too high or too low, and thus special skill in manipulating the flip stick becomes an import ant factor in playing the game.

The grooves in the striking face of the flip stick may be so shaped as either to facilitate propelling the ball in the proper way or to render this more diflicult; and to add variety to the game, the shape of the grooves in the striking face of the flip sticks may be different, and the players may be required to change flip sticks at stated intervals of time or play.

While the projectile and the tool for propelling same are designed for use in connec tion with the other parts of the apparatus shown in may Patent No. 1,510,385 aforesaid, it will be obvious that the two may be used without such additional apparatus, thus resembling putting; practice in golf.

It will be found in practice that considerable skill Will be required with a given poses described.

flip. stick to drive the ball either the proper distance or in the proper direction, and that the game will afford a reasonable amount of exercise to the players and at the same time maintain the interest of the players.

Practice may be had upon any ordinary lawn or upon an open lot without the necessity of going; to long distances, as is usually required with golf'links, base ball or other open air games of like character.

lVhile I have shown a preferred form of flip stick and a preferred form and construc tion of projectile, I do not mean to limit the invention to such details, except as particularly pointed out in the claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

Game apparatus comprising a ball formed by the union of two zones of spheres joined at their bases and having their junction slightly rounded to form a driving edge and a Flip stick provided with a grooved striking face adapted to engage the striking edge of the ball, substantially as and for the purcEoIL P. oAULKINs, 

